Pharmacy Technician - Healthy Crawley PCN

NHS; Horley; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization is seeking a Pharmacy Technician to support clinical pharmacists in Horley. The role involves optimizing medication use, patient interaction, and collaboration within a multi-disciplinary team. Candidates must have professional registration and experience in primary care. The position is aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and improving medication-related processes.

Qualifications

• Experience working as a qualified pharmacy technician in primary care or hospital pharmacy.
• Knowledge of Primary Care Networks and evidence-based medicine.
• Current UK professional registration is required.

Responsibilities

• Support effective medicines use through patient interactions.
• Contribute to quality improvement initiatives.
• Assist with clinical auditing and managing prescriptions.

Skills

Clinical pharmacy knowledge

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent

Professional registration with GPhC

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Overview

The post holder is a Pharmacy technician who will work with an established Clinical Pharmacist team and will be supervised by a Pharmacist. This post is part of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme for Primary Care Networks funded by NHS England and includes funded access to the Primary Care Pharmacy Education pathway pilot for pharmacy technicians (where appropriate). The ambition is to better utilise the role of pharmacy within primary care to pro-actively help patients stay safe and well and out of hospital, as well as helping to reduce the demands on general practice. The technician will act within their professional boundaries, supporting pharmacists in general practice to ensure effective and efficient use of medicines.

The technician will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide technical support for the pharmacy service to ensure professional operational standards and excellence in pharmaceutical care and safety.

Main duties

The role will support the practice to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for medicines related clinical correspondence; repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes. The post holder will support training and development of administrators to support safe, effective and efficient processes involving medicines with a particular focus on repeat prescribing processes and will also provide support to general practice staff and patients regarding prescription and medication queries. They will help to develop and improve repeat prescribing and medicines reconciliation processes and systems for safer prescribing. The post holder will ensure that the service is integrated with community and hospital pharmacy to improve patient outcomes. The pharmacy technicians will work closely with the ICB Medicines Optimisation teams, community pharmacists and hospital pharmacy teams to support an integrated approach to prescribing and medicines optimisation which works towards shared goals. The post holder will also support quality improvement and manage some aspects of the quality and outcomes framework and enhanced services and contribute to the delivery of the local medicines optimisation strategy. All Pharmacy Technicians must work within their competencies and have professional indemnity.

Job responsibilities

Clinical

• Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients.
• Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation; use consultation skills to work with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.
• Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies.
• Support Clinical Pharmacist in Structure Medication Reviews (SMR) by organising necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR.
• Provide expertise to address public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and tackling local health inequalities.
• Manage shared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.
• Support antimicrobial stewardship initiatives to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing locally.
• Managing prescriptions, clinical auditing and, where appropriate, giving advice to patients and the primary care team.

Technical and Administrative

• Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are followed.
• Support medications reconciliation for patients discharged from hospital.
• Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reduce medication wastage.
• Provide training on the safe handling of medicines and the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).
• Promote Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering.
• Develop relationships with other pharmacy professionals and multidisciplinary team members to support integration across health and social care.
• Support practice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review clinically complex requests.
• Support the PCN to deliver on QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services.
• Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.
• Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements.

General

• Be committed to a culture that promotes equality and values diversity; comply with ABC policies.
• Ensure openness, transparency and candour in practices.
• Complete safeguarding training as provided and comply with safeguarding policies.
• Report infection prevention and control issues to the line manager.

Equality and diversity

• Support equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues; act with respect for rights, privacy and dignity, and non-judgemental conduct.

Personal/Professional development

• Participate in training as part of employment; engage in annual performance reviews and maintain records of development.

Quality

• Maintain quality, identify and escalate quality and risk issues, and contribute to team performance improvements.

Qualifications and Experience

Qualifications

• Essential: Professional registration with GPhC
• Essential: BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
• Essential: Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community, or hospital pharmacy
• Desirable: Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
• Desirable: Ability to influence and persuade partners and stakeholders

Experience

• Essential: Knowledge of Primary Care Networks, General Practice and evidence-based medicine
• Essential: Understanding of systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting
• Essential: Good clinical pharmacy knowledge and understanding of prescribing concepts
• Essential: Knowledge of pharmacy law, ethics and current legislation
• Desirable: Understanding of NHS long term plan and priorities; funding systems for GP clinical pharmacist services

Attributes

• Works independently and as part of a team; flexible and proactive
• Willing to travel across sites; adaptable to change
• Excellent time management and prioritisation; ability to work in a busy environment

Skills & Competencies

• Computer literate; able to use Microsoft Office
• Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data; attention to detail
• Ability to manage resources; plan and prioritise workload; analytical thinking
• Excellent verbal and written communication; ability to adapt communication methods
• Influencing and negotiating skills; understanding of data protection and confidentiality

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and will require a DBS check.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Alliance for Better Care CIC

Clerklands Surgery, Vicarage Lane, Horley, Surrey, RH68AR

Employer's website: https://allianceforbettercare.org/